EP1233112A2

EP1233112A2 - Oil cut-off device for floor drains or similar

Info

Publication number: EP1233112A2
Application number: EP02011316A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Lars Spanberg
Original assignee: Sjobo Bruk AB
Current assignee: Sjobo Bruk AB
Priority date: 1996-03-15
Filing date: 1997-03-01
Publication date: 2002-08-21
Also published as: EP1233112A3; SE9600990L; NO970998D0; PL183303B1; PL318968A1; EP0795652A3; NO970998L; SE9600990D0; SE509047C2; EP0795652A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to an oil cut-off device for floor drains or similar. The oil cut-off device comprises a screening means (40) and a valve body (25) which are both located in a pipe member (6) of the floor drain. The screening means (40) is removably positioned in the pipe member (6) and has outwardly and downwardly directed support legs (51) which are adapted to engage lower, inwardly directed wall portions (14) of said pipe member (6) for determining the elevation of the screening means (40) in said pipe member (6). Thus, there is no need for covers as in prior art, which are designed for holding the screening means.

Description

The present invention relates to an oil cut-off device for floor drains or similar, wherein the floor drain comprises a liquid-containing member and a pipe member which is directed down into liquid in said liquid-containing member such that a liquid seal is defined, wherein the pipe member is adapted to guide liquid down to the liquid seal, wherein the pipe member down below has an opening through which liquid can flow out of said pipe member, wherein a valve seat for a valve body which is located in the pipe member, is provided around the opening, wherein the valve body is provided to float in liquids with higher density than liquid mixed with oil or oil, but sink in liquids which are mixed with oil or consist of oil and thereby have a lower density than the first mentioned liquids, wherein the valve body is provided to sink to the valve seat and, in cooperation therewith, to close the opening and thereby interrupt the flow of liquid through the floor drain and wherein at least one screening means is provided in the pipe member, said screening means preventing liquid streams, which flow down into the floor drain when the valve body floats in the liquid in the liquid seal, from pressing said valve body in downwards direction to the valve seat.
Oil cut-off devices of the abovementioned type are already known from e.g. SE patent specification 222 843. These oil cut-off devices are provided with screening means which are mounted on a cover. However, screening means can only be used if the covers are designed for holding them.
The object of the present invention has been to solve this problem and this is arrived at according to the invention by providing the oil cut-off device defined above with the characterizing features of claim 1.
By providing the screening means with legs which are adapted to engage lower, inwardly directed wall portions of the pipe member, there is no need for covers which are designed for holding the screening means.
The invention will be further described below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein
fig. 1 is a vertical section of a floor drain having an oil cut-off device according to the invention, whereby a valve body is situated in an upper opening position;
fig. 2 is a vertical section corresponding to fig. 1, whereby the valve body is situated in a lower closing position;
fig. 3 is a section along the line III-III through the floor drain of fig. 2;
fig. 4 illustrates an enlarged part of the section of the floor drain according to fig. 1; and
fig. 5 illustrates another enlarged part of the section of the floor drain according to fig. 2.
The drawings illustrate a floor drain including an outer member 1 with an upper inlet portion 2, a portion 3 located beneath said inlet portion for receiving and carrying an insert and an outlet pipe 4 extending from said insert-carrying portion 3, said outlet pipe 4 being connectable to a discharge system (not shown). The outlet pipe 4 is here directed laterally relative to the insert-carrying portion 3, but may alternatively be directed downwards.
An insert 5 is removably located in the insert-carrying portion 3 of the floor drain. This insert 5 includes a pipe member 6 which at the top has an outwardly directed support flange 7 which is adapted to rest on inwardly directed support surfaces 8 on the outer member 1. At the top, the pipe member 6 also includes a sealing ring 9 which is in contact with downwardly directed surfaces 10 on the outer member 1, so that a sealing is obtained between said outer member 1 and the insert 5. The sealing ring 9 may assist in retaining the insert 5 at the outer member 1.
The upper portions of the pipe member 6 is provided with a number - preferably four - of downwardly directed flanges 11 having holes 12, the purpose of which will be described below.
The pipe member 6 includes downwardly directed wall portions 13 which down below transform into lower, inwardly directed wall portions 14 with a centrally located opening 15. The wall portions 14 define around the opening 15 an obliquely upwards/inwards directed edge portion 16 with a softly rounded end edge 17. This edge portion 16 is adapted to define a valve seat 18 on the pipe member 6.
The pipe member 6 further includes outer or external flange portions 19 - preferably four flange portions - which extend along the downwardly directed and the inwardly directed wall portions 13, 14. The flange portions 19 are inter alia adapted for centering and for keeping the distance between the pipe member and a member 20 containing liquid. The pipe member 6 is adapted to extend downwards into the liquid-containing member 20, which preferably consists of a trough with hook portions 21 - preferably four - located at the top thereof. These hook portions 21 are adapted to permit snapping of the liquid-containing member 20 onto the downwardly directed flanges 11 of the pipe member 6 by bringing said hook portions 21 into engagement in the holes 12 of said flanges 11.
The insert 5 functions so that liquid - normally water - flows down into the pipe member 6 and gathers in the liquid-containing member 20 until it is filled. The liquid surface 23 is then situated substantially above the lower, inwardly directed wall portions 14 of the pipe member 6, i.e. the pipe member 6 extends far down into the liquid-containing member 20, whereby a liquid seal 22 - normally called water seal or odour or stench trap - is defined, which prevents odours in the discharge system from rising through the floor drain.
If more liquid flows down into the pipe member 6 - after the liquid-containing member 20 is filled - liquid will flow over the upper edge 24 thereof and down into the outer member 1 and through the outlet pipe 4 into the discharge system.
For preventing oil or liquids mixed with oil from flowing out through the floor drain, the pipe member 6 includes a valve body 25 which is adapted to close the opening 15 in cooperation with the valve seat 18. This valve body 25 has such a density that it floats in liquids having higher density than liquid mixed with oil or oil and that it sinks in liquids mixed with oil or consisting of oil. The valve body 25 may e.g. have a density of about 0,95 kg/dm³, which means that it floats in water (with about one tenth above the surface) but sinks in water mixed with oil or in oil, e.g. when fuel oils or Diesel oil flows down into the floor drain.
When the valve body 25 sinks, it is brought in contact with the valve seat 18 so that said valve body closes the opening 15 and thus, it is ensured that the liquid mixed with oil or the oil can not flow out into the discharge system through the floor drain.
The valve body 25 consists e.g. of a substantially cylindrical hollow body 26, which down below is sealed or closed by an underside 27 and at the top by a cap 28.
The underside 27 has a downwardly directed retaining member 29 which is tubular in shape and which has an outer or external seat 30 for a sealing ring 31. At the top thereof, said sealing ring 31 engages the underside 27 and it is adapted to cooperate down below with the seat 18 for closing the opening 15.
The inner space 32 of the valve body has an upwardly open member 33 into which a weight 34 can be inserted from above. Lower portions of the upwardly open member 33 are situated in inner parts of the retaining member 29, so that the weight 34 can be located as far below as possible in the valve body 25. This means that the valve body 25 can be given a very low centre of gravity.
The upwardly open member 33 may be cylindrical and the weight 34 may be a cylindrical body of metallic material.
The cylindrical hollow body 26 has at the top a seat 36 for a sealing ring 37 which is adapted to provide a sealing between said cylindrical hollow body 26 and the cap 28. The cap 28 can preferably be snapped onto the cylindrical hollow body 26 so that it can be removed when required for change of weight 34. Furthermore, the cylindrical hollow body 26 has down below a lateral, outwardly directed guide flange 38 and the cap 28 defines at the top another guide flange 39 by having a lateral, outwardly directed shape.
The sealing ring 31 preferably consists of a soft material, which can be formed into the rounded end edge 17 of the valve seat 18 and which also is capable of engaging the valve seat 18 around contaminants adhering thereto. This sealing ring 31 may consist of oil resistant cellular rubber material.
In the pipe member 6 there is provided a screening means 40 which is adapted to prevent liquid streams 41, which from above flow down into the pipe member 6, from hitting the valve body 25. Hereby, it is prevented that the valve body 25, when it floats in liquid, is pressed down to the seat 18, and thus, there is no risk that the valve body 25 unintentionally can interrupt the flow through the floor drain.
The screening means 40 preferably includes a cylindrical member 42 with a larger diameter than the valve body 25. This cylindrical member 42 is open down below and has an upper wall portion 43 with preferably a centrally located aeration opening 44 which is adapted to permit air (see arrow 45, fig. 1) to flow out of the screening means 40 when liquid and the valve body 25 rise therein. The aeration opening 44 is located so that the liquid streams 41 coming from above can not flow into the screening means 40 from above to such an extent that they affect the valve body 25 in downwards direction towards the valve seat 18. In order to prevent or obstruct the flow of liquid streams 41 into the screening means 40, the aeration opening 44 may be screened off from above by a casing or cover 46. This casing or cover 46 comprises. downwardly directed mounting flanges 47 - preferably four such mounting flanges - which makes it possible to snap the cover 46 onto a collar 48 which is provided extending upwards from the upper wall portion 43 around the aeration opening 44.
The cover 46 is provided to define a laterally directed air slit 49 with the upper wall portion 43 such that air 45 can flow out of the aeration opening 44 in a lateral direction. The cover 46 is also provided such that lower parts of the air slit 49 lie on a level below the upper edge 50 of the collar 48.
The screening means 40 is removably mounted in the pipe member 6 and has outwardly and downwardly directed support legs 51 - preferably four such support legs - which down below are adapted to engage the lower, inwardly directed wall portions 14 of said pipe member 6 so that said legs 51 determine the elevation of the screening means 40 in the pipe member 6. The support legs 51 are preferably also adapted to center the screening means 40 relative to the pipe member 6.
The support legs 51 can form guide portions 52 for guiding the valve body 25 during its movement between its upper position - in which it floats in the liquid - and its lower position - in which it cooperates with the seat 18. Said guide portions 52 preferably include members 53 which are located inside the screening means 40 and which may be connected with the cylindrical member 42 as well as with the upper wall portion 43.
As is apparent from fig. 2, the screening means 40 is designed and located so that it from above covers and receives the major part of the valve body 25 when said valve body floats in the liquid in the liquid seal 22 so that the liquid streams 41 flowing downwards pass said valve body 25 externally thereof in downwards direction towards the opening 15, whereby liquid will flow out of the water seal 22 via the upper edge 24 of the liquid--containing member 20.
The invention is not limited to the embodiment described above and illustrated in the drawings, but may vary within the scope of the following claims. As not specifically described alternatives one should mention that the oil cut-off device may be used in other types of floor drains than the type shown and it may also be used in roof drains. The valve body 25 may be of another design than what is illustrated and the screening means 40 may also be designed otherwise than what is shown and may also consist of more than one member. The screening means 40 may e.g. be provided so that upper portions thereof are located above the liquid surface 23 in the liquid seal 22, while lower portions thereof are located below said liquid surface 23. Furthermore, the screening means 40 may be mounted so that its upper portions are situated in level with upper portions of the pipe member 6 and it may be somewhat higher than half the height of the pipe member 6. If there is an aeration opening 44 in the screening means 40, said opening 44 should preferably be located above the liquid surface 23 in the liquid seal 22.

Claims

Oil cut-off device for floor drains or similar,
wherein the floor drain comprises a liquid-containing member (20) and a pipe member (6) which is directed down into liquid in said liquid-containing member (20) such that a liquid seal (22) is defined,
wherein the pipe member (6) is adapted to guide liquid down to the liquid seal (22),
wherein the pipe member (6) down below has an opening (15) through which liquid can flow out of said pipe member (6),
wherein a valve seat (18) for a valve body (25) which is located in the pipe member (6), is provided around the opening (15),
wherein the valve body (25) is provided to float in liquids with higher density than liquid mixed with oil or oil, but sink in liquids which are mixed with oil or consist of oil and thereby have a lower density than the firstmentioned liquids,
wherein the valve body (25) is provided to sink to the valve seat (18) and, in cooperation therewith, to close the opening (15) and thereby interrupt the flow of liquid through the floor drain, and
wherein at least one screening means (40) is provided in the pipe member (6), said screening means (40) preventing liquid streams (41), which flow down into the floor drain when the valve body (25) floats in the liquid in the liquid seal (22), from pressing said valve body (25) in downwards direction to the valve seat (18),
characterized in that the screening means (40) is removably positioned in the pipe member (6) and has outwardly and downwardly directed support legs (51) which are adapted to engage lower, inwardly directed wall portions (14) of said pipe member (6) for determining the elevation of the screening means (40) in said pipe member (6).
Oil cut-off device according to claim 1, characterized in that the support legs (51) are adapted to center said screening means (40) relative to said pipe member (6).
Oil cut-off device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support legs (51) define guide portions (52) for guiding the valve body (25) during its movements in vertical direction between an upper position in which it floats in liquid in the liquid seal (22) and a lower position in which it cooperates with the seat (18).
Oil cut-off device according to claim 3, characterized in that the guide portions (52) cooperate with a lower lateral, outwardly directed, annular guide flange (38) as well as an upper lateral, outwardly directed annular guide flange (39) provided on a substantially cylindrical hollow body (26) of the valve body (25), said cylindrical hollow body (26) being sealed or closed down below by an underside (27) and at the top by a removable cap (28).
Oil cut-off device according to claim 4, characterized in that the upper lateral, outwardly directed annular guide flange (39) is defined by the cap (28).
Oil cut-off device according to any of claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the cap (28) permits opening of the valve body (25) at the top thereof for removable location of a weight (34) in lower portions of an inner space (32) in said valve body (25), said weight being adapted to give said valve body (25) a predetermined weight.
Oil cut-off device according to claim 6, characterized in that the inner space (32) of the valve body (25) includes an in upwards direction open member (33) which is designed to receive and position the weight (34) and that lower portions of said upwardly open member (33) are situated in a retaining member (29) which is directed downwards from an underside (27) of the valve body (25) and on which a sealing ring (31) forming part of said valve body (25) is mounted externally, whereby said valve body (25) attains a low centre of gravity.
Oil cut-off device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the weight is a metal body (34).
Oil cut-off device according to any of claims 3-8, characterized in that the guide portions (52) include members (53) located inside the screening means (40).
Oil cut-off device according to any preceding claim, characterized in that the screening means (40) includes a cover (46) which from above screens off at least one aeration opening (44) which is located at the top of said screening means (40) and adapted to permit air (45) to flow out of said screening means (40) when the liquid surface (23) in the liquid seal (22) and the valve body (25) rise in the screening means (40), and that the cover (46) is located so that liquid streams (41) can not flow into the screening means (40) through the aeration opening (44) to such an extent that they press the valve body (25) in downwards direction to the valve seat (18).
Oil cut-off device according to claim 10, characterized in that the cover (46) is provided to define a laterally directed air slit (49) such that air (45) can flow out through the aeration opening (44) in at least one lateral direction.
Oil cut-off device according to claim 11, characterized in that an upper wall portion (43) of the screening means (40) has an upwardly directed collar (48) which is located around the aeration opening (44), that the cover (46) has downwardly directed mounting flanges (47) through which said cover (46) can be snapped onto the collar (48), and that the cover (46) is provided so that lower portions of the air slit (49) are located at a level beneath an upper edge (50) of the collar (48).